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Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names
Trends & Distribution
Breeding & Survival
Biometrics
Books & Links
Order:
Passeriformes
Family:
Carduelidae
BTO Codes:
CR , CROSS
EURING No:
16660
Number in Britain:
11 thousand pairs (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK:
GREEN
European:
Not a species of concern
Global:
Least Concern
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IBC
Status in UK:
(A) Migrant/Resident Breeder, Passage/Winter Visitor
Subspecies:
curvirostra recorded in Britain (of 19 subsp. in the world)
.
Length:
16 cm
Wingspan:
29 cm
Weight:
M/F: 43 g
Scientific name from:
Gr.: loxos =crosswise
and L.: curvus =curved + rostrum =bill
World Distribution:
Europe, locally in Asia, North & Central America
Habitat:
Coniferous forest
Diet:
Conifer seeds esp. spruce or pine (England, Mediterranean)
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
No population trend available
Distribution:
New Atlas )
British Population Size:
Summer:
1000 to 20 thousand pairs
in 1968-90
Note: Best estimate
First Record:
13th Century
[Fossil evidence from
Wolstonian (penultimate) glaciation, c. 150,000 yr ago]
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
Most frequent in:
Coniferous Wood
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
Summer:
800 thousand to 3 million pairs
Birds in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
WCA(I,IV), Bern(III)
Survey Results:
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
22 x 16 mm
Egg Weight:
3.0 g (of which 5 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
2
Clutch Size:
3 - 4 eggs
Incubation:
14 - 15 days
by the:
Female
Fledging:
20 - 25 days
as:
Altricial, downy
First Clutches Laid:
Unavailable
Number of Broods:
2
Number Ringed:
142
Adult Survival:
0.463
Juvenile Survival:
No data
Age at First Breeding:
1
year
Typical Lifespan:
2
years
Maximum Recorded Age:
3yr2m
(Sweden: 6yr 1m)
Biometrics
Ring Size:
B+
Wing Length
Adult:
97.8 ± 2.7
Range
93 - 102 mm, N =271
Juvenile:
97.0 ± 2.8
92 - 101 mm, N =87
Male:
99.6 ± 2.2
96 - 103 mm, N =119
Female:
96.4 ± 2.2
92 - 100 mm, N =152
Weight
Adult:
40.27 ± 3.54
Range
34.70 - 46.70 g , N =255
Juvenile:
38.43 ± 3.70
32.00 - 44.40 g , N =81
Male:
40.85 ± 3.33
35.30 - 46.80 g , N =113
Female:
39.82 ± 3.64 .
34.40 - 45.50 g , N =142
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
Other Names
Red Crossbill
Gaelic:
Cam-ghob
Welsh:
Gylfin Groes
Danish:
Lille korsnęb
Dutch:
Kruisbek
Finnish:
Pikkukäpylintu
French:
Beccroisé des sapins
German:
Fichtenkreuzschnabel
Hungarian:
Keresztcsoru
Icelandic:
Krossnefur
Irish:
Crosghob
Italian:
Crociere
Norwegian:
Grankorsnebb
Polish:
Krzyzodziób swierkowy
Portuguese:
Cruza-bico-comum
Spanish:
Piquituerto comśn
Swedish:
Mindre korsnäbb
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Nethersole-Thompson, D. 1975 The pine crossbills Poyser, Berkhamsted
[598.982 NET]
Newton, I. 1972 The finches Collins, London
[598.982 NEW]
See Also:
All About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
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